Thread: Rebuilding Sid

Originally Posted by gromit

I'd have to look at a few picture of the ones I've worked on but I'm sure the slave cylinder is at 12 o'clock.
Land Rover FAQ - 109 rear brakes

The only difference will be the brake pipe layout if the cylinder isn't at 12 o'clock.

How does 'measuring' confirm they are on the correct sides ? Are the part numbers still readable on the backplates ? 531888 is LH and 531889 is RH.


Colin

The adjusters are not symetrical to the slave cylinder, there is a difference that can be measured to identify the leading and trailing adjuster. I think the 'issue' is in the axle... the plates I have are all the same. I did find a photo of another axle with the holes in the same place that was off a LWB Series 1.

Screenshot 2021-01-05 144312.jpg

Pic of S1 back plates have the cylinder hole symetrical... sooooo.... I am wondering if I have an earlier axle. It is a LWB one, with all the reinforcement... it might also explain why the bearings in the diff were all special order items at 5x the price.. no idea.

anyhow... not changing it now.

Sid is back in one piece and purring... although the over caution in taking the front off was maybe overkill, going through every step of the process highlighted a problem with #2 cylinder exhaust valve adjuster... a quick compression test showed zero on #2, new adjuster from the parts box and all fixed..

I thought he ran well before and it was only 3 cylinders and a dodgy distributer... now he purrs and you can hardly hear him.

FINALLY..... I have bled the brakes and have a full set of working brakes.

I gave in an bought a pressure bleeder in the sales and it still took three attempts but it’s finally done.

With that success, I have embarked on the body panels.


Filler over epoxy.

I bought the filler from the paint supplier and it’s my first time using ‘professional’ bondo and it’s a bit of a revelation. Different texture, more like smooth peanut butter, it’s ruthless, you have about 5 minutes to mix and get it on, then about enough time to clean the tools up before sanding begins.

It’s like sanding talc for the first 10 minutes, so you go like the clappers rough shaping and then as it firms up a bit more, you go finer and sand proper. Very fast process, each panel I’ve done has had rough fill, sand, fine skim, sand and then go over any spots, but only an hour a panel.


Leaving the finished panels in the sun hardens then off and ready for another coat of epoxy and then filler primer.

It’s messy and the dust gets everywhere

Now this was a job I was putting off as I thought it with be a pain,

But it’s was a strangely satisfying half an hour



Someone suggested chiseling the rivets instead of drilling and that was much more therapeutic

When I set out to paint Sid, the plan was to do a decent job, but recognising he’s still truck (an old truck)

I realised tonight I’ve lost the plot


I was using Blade putty under a horizontal lamp!

I’ve stopped now.

Wooooo

Finally, this caused some headaches this week, had everything prepped and started to spray colour at the weekend and the gun failed mid spray and I didn’t have a backup. So this is round 2


Might be a bit too shiny... don’t think I’ll need to do any finishing on this.

Parts coming thick and fast now, have to get a shift on as work is wondering where I am and I had a goal to get the front end done this Christmas.

While paint dries, the sand blaster pulled a binder and did the bonnet frame overnight.

So, bonnet and frame now as one



Ready for another epoxy and colour. Bonnet was very straight so got lucky.

Riveting was another pleasant couple of hours. Rivets came from the eBay supplier in the UK, not the cheapest but they charge very little for extra bags of rivets, so I got loads of spare and so it became more reasonable.

Here’s my setup for single handed riveting


Rivet tool is locked in a vice and the bonnet is supported so you can move it around and hold it one handed.

I’ve a vintage smooth face hammer which is a dream and dresses the heads down beautifully. It’s a back to front way of doing it, but it is safe, and very neat, the rivet tool doesn’t touch the sheet metal and you can watch the two parts clamp together as you hammer.

Doing the tub may be a little challenging like this though. Will needs another plan for that.

Originally Posted by Cadas

Parts coming thick and fast now, have to get a shift on as work is wondering where I am and I had a goal to get the front end done this Christmas.

While paint dries, the sand blaster pulled a binder and did the bonnet frame overnight.

So, bonnet and frame now as one



Ready for another epoxy and colour. Bonnet was very straight so got lucky.

Riveting was another pleasant couple of hours. Rivets came from the eBay supplier in the UK, not the cheapest but they charge very little for extra bags of rivets, so I got loads of spare and so it became more reasonable.

Here’s my setup for single handed riveting


Rivet tool is locked in a vice and the bonnet is supported so you can move it around and hold it one handed.

I’ve a vintage smooth face hammer which is a dream and dresses the heads down beautifully. It’s a back to front way of doing it, but it is safe, and very neat, the rivet tool doesn’t touch the sheet metal and you can watch the two parts clamp together as you hammer.

Doing the tub may be a little challenging like this though. Will needs another plan for that.

Can you tell me what length the rivets are you used on your bonnet , friend is doing his & asked me the other day the length, Thanks.

3/8” long by 3/16 dia for the main frame,
The spare wheel mount needs slightly longer as it mounts through the frame.

I haven’t tested that yet but I think it will be 1/2”